Why does Professional Development Matter? In this Blog post we will unlock five key insights for teachers as to why you need professional development at your school. We will also take a close look at why many schools don’t include it in the budget.
The COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally transformed teacher training, introducing online learning opportunities that promised faster, immediate skill acquisition and growth. However, this shift also led to a decline in the quality and engagement of professional development, leaving educators exhausted and disillusioned with tedious, low-quality virtual meetings.
It’s time to embrace a new era of high-quality, research-supported, continuous professional development that significantly benefits educators’ careers and, more importantly, their students.
Despite its importance, professional development often remains underfunded in schools, overshadowed by allocations for extracurricular activities, facilities, and other non-academic investments. Yet, enhancing teaching—the heart of education—frequently lacks financial support, sometimes being the first area cut in budget constraints.
The urgency for change is clear. Schools must prioritize their most valuable asset: their educators. In an era where Generation Alpha students grow up with artificial intelligence as a norm, many classrooms remain trapped in a bygone era, ill-equipped to meet these students’ needs.
The 5 Key Insights for Teachers – Why Professional Development Matters?
- Understanding Generation Alpha: Born post-2010, Gen Alpha students demand engaging, relevant content, reflecting their immersion in a world of artificial intelligence. Traditional teaching methods fall short, failing to capture their attention or meet their cognitive needs. Educators must adapt, using AI to create dynamic, personalized learning experiences that resonate with this generation.
- Evolving Work Place Skills: The skill set required for success in the modern workforce has shifted dramatically. According to the World Economic Forum, the top skills needed in 2023 differ significantly from those of the past. In the 2023 report, which looks ahead to 2030, they said: “The education sector must prioritise the development of critical skills such as analytical thinking, creative thinking and resilience, as well as prepare workers to fill roles in high demand moving forward: data analysts, Artificial Intelligence specialists and renewable energy engineers, to name but a few.” Educators must integrate the Global 6C Competencies—Communication, Collaboration, Citizenship, Character, Confidence, and Creative Innovation—into every subject, moving beyond rote learning to foster these essential skills.
- Cultivating Resilience and Growth Mindset: In a results-driven society, the emphasis on performance can overshadow the value of resilience and perseverance. Drawing from the work of Dr. Angela Duckworth and Carol Dweck, schools must equip teachers with strategies to foster a growth mindset in students, challenging the trend of avoiding difficulty in favour of easy successes.
- Deepening Teacher-Student Connections: A concerning trend is the growing disconnect between teachers and their students, with some educators struggling even to remember students’ names. Personal connections are crucial for impactful teaching and learning, requiring intentional strategies and funding to ensure every student feels known and valued.
- Addressing the Educator Exodus: The global education sector faces a critical shortage of qualified teachers and leaders, exacerbated by inadequate compensation and support. In fact, the world needs 44 million teachers by 2030 in order to make the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals a reality. A new report from UNESCO, the UN agency championing education, announced this in February 2024. Investing in educators’ professional growth and well-being is essential to retain talent and ensure high-quality education.
The Way Forward
The path to improvement begins with a commitment to allocating resources towards nurturing and developing educational professionals. This is why Professional Development Matters.
For those interested in how Keller Education can support and address these critical areas, please reach out to our Business Development Team at home@keller.education.